Why Montgomery County needs a chief ethics officer

Yesterday I released a video of the criminal pepper spraying of Charles Alexander Wade, while in restraints, at the Montgomery County jail. Normally, you’d expect your county prosecutor to take up charges against the perpetrator of a crime as clear as this, but there is a difficulty.

Of course, Sgt. Eversole, soon to be inmate Eversole, is probably crapping his pants today. Doug Brannon, the attorney in the Amber Swink case, has also secured Mr. Wade as a client, and has been doing public records requests to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office since November for the footage you saw last night. He called and asked how I got it. Eversole had been told the video would never see the light of day.

Brannon’s case just grew. Refusal to fulfill public records requests is a crime. Now that the footage is out, it can’t be covered up.

In other questionably ethical action, Plummer also has recommended one of his employees to a judgeship, in his role as chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Party. Plummer nominated Personnel Director Julie A. Droessler, Esq. for appointment to fill Judge Michael L. Tucker’s seat on the County Court. The position is filled by Governor Kasich by appointment as recommended by the local party. Tucker is vacating his term, due to his election to the 2nd district court of appeals to fill the seat of retiring judge Mike Fain. Of course Tucker ran, unopposed as this is how we roll in Montgomery County. As to Droessler’s qualifications to be a judge? She’s a lawyer, and would owe Plummer a favor or many- since she has zero trial experience.

When I asked Mrs. Droessler if she was in a personal relationship with the Sheriff, she asked who told me that, I wouldn’t say, and then she hung up.

Of course, since yesterday, there has been a steady stream of other information about the jail. Like this 100lb girl getting the WWF treatment in the jail in 2014. Read the story here:

The list of criminal behavior by jailers, the coverups, the abuse of power, the suicides, all point to a jail that’s more of a threat to inmates than the inmates are a threat to the citizens of the county.

The county commission, three democrats, have the ability to remove the Sheriff from office, but aren’t acting, because the county is already on the hook for millions in pending litigation, and has already paid out a ton of money in settlements. A protest is being scheduled for the next commission meeting on Tuesday, February 14th 2017 to be followed by a protest the following weekend.

Ir we had an elected chief ethics officer in the county, an independent prosecutor of sorts, issues like these conflicts of interest, might not be the major stumbling block.

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WAIT? WHAT? yet another slot for partisan pay to play? Are you kidding? the Commissioners oughta do their jobs – you do not need to recommend yet another position for insider salary and perks. If there is cause – you can bet that Danny, Deb and Judy will swing into action. Why isn’t that good enough for you?